NEWS

All of us can benefit from being moderate about how much alcohol we drink, but the stakes are higher when you have epilepsy. Maybe you’re wondering, “How much alcohol is safe for me to drink without triggering a seizure?”

There’s good news for you, according to Andrey Stojic, MD, Director of Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute at Lakewood Hospital. “Studies don’t suggest that rare or moderate alcohol use causes any problems for people with epilepsy,” he says.

How much alcohol is “moderate”? Experts define “moderate use” as one or two drinks a day.

“The biggest risk is with people who binge drink or use alcohol excessively. This can lower seizure thresholds,” Dr. Stojic says.

This is because excessive alcohol can impact the “excitability” of your brain’s nerve cells, Dr. Stojic says. This, in turn, can spur abnormal electrical brain activity that causes a seizure.